‘Tis deadly!’ Limerick jockey Ray Barron beams after Teed Up’s victory on opening day of Galway Races
Ray Barron was like a child on Christmas morning when he got the call from Emmet Mullins to partner Teed Up, and he seized the opportunity with both hands on the “biggest day” of his career.
Barron has been operating in the shadows throughout his decade-long career, but the 31-year-old had his day in the Galway sun to plunder the prestigious Connacht Hotel Handicap aboard the 7/2 favourite.
Success in the amateur showpiece eluded greats like Katie Walsh, Nina Carberry and Jamie Codd throughout their glittering careers, but Barron made no mistake by half a length at the first time of asking.
“Tis deadly!” Barron beamed. “To have a winner around Galway and especially in a premier handicap like this, it’s the one that every amateur wants to get their head in front in and to do it is phenomenal.
“I was surprised to get the call last Friday evening because I never rode for Emmet before. I couldn’t believe it and this is the biggest day of my career by a mile, it’s unbelievable.”
It was also yet another high-profile success for Limerick with the Athlacca native – watched on at Ballybrit by Treaty hurling supremo John Kiely after his side’s All-Ireland four-in-a-row heroics – over the moon.
“It’s been a great week for Limerick. David Reidy is from my home village, he started his first All-Ireland, so it was a good week for Athlacca, it’s deadly!” Barron, who is based with Charles Byrnes, said.
For Mullins, it was yet another illustration of his training prowess as the Aintree Grand National-winning handler continues to grab the headlines at the marquee meetings.
It was Teed Up’s fourth success around Galway and the six-year-old, carrying the prolific colours of Annette Mee, will be back for more later this week.
This may have been worth €64,900 to connections, but Mullins reckoned it was a bonus with success over hurdles expected.
“He’s a little dinger of a horse. It’s horses for courses around here and it was nice when the rain came. I was probably the only one not cursing the rain. Hopefully he can go on and pick up something again later in the week.
“He’s in a few times and he’ll turn up, all being well. He’s probably better treated over hurdles, that was probably more so the plan, but it’s nice when this slots in as well.”
An ounce of breeding is worth a tonne of feeding, and Mystical Power (6/4 favourite) is living up to his bloodline, having turned the opening novice hurdle into a procession.
The son of Galileo and Annie Power was a horse on everyone’s lips following his bumper success at Ballinrobe and Willie Mullins’s exciting four-year-old made a comfortable debut over obstacles.
Mark Walsh’s mount was far from polished at times, but the race was quickly put to bed turning for home before he extended clear for a seven-length success without pushing the button.
“I jumped out to get a nice position and he was just running keen with me, so instead of fighting him, I just pulled him back and dropped in behind horses and he came alive for me,” Walsh said.
“I was just taking my time going down to the last, go in and pop it, and he went away nicely and did it very easy. There’s plenty more to come from him because he’s still very raw.”
Paddy Power make Mystical Power a 16/1 shot for both the Supreme and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdles at next year’s Cheltenham Festival and Mullins was certainly impressed.
“That was a huge performance compared to his bumper performance,” Mullins said. “He likes jumping, but there is a lot of improvement to come as he made at least three mistakes.
“Like his mother (who won on debut at Galway), he’s won here on his second run, and hopefully, he’ll be half as good as her.
“I’ll continue hurdling with him now. I don’t want to go back to the Flat – I may do that next year with him. He looks like a horse that we might aim at the Royal Bond or something like that.”
JP McManus went on to complete an opening-race double with great satisfaction derived from the success of Neveradullmoment (4/1 favourite).
Bred by his wife Noreen, Philip Dempsey’s six-year-old was given a peach of a ride by local jockey Danny Gilligan to justify market support in the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle.
Athenry native Gilligan (17), who is based with Gordon Elliott, was only back from a broken collarbone sustained a month ago but showed no signs of rustiness with a powerful steer.
Success for the Joseph O’Brien-trained Mythology (7/4) in the Claregalwayhotel.ie Maiden formed part of a blistering start for punters as the first four favourites obliged.
Dylan Browne McMonagle, described by legendary jockey Ruby Walsh as “the future”, delivered a steely display in the saddle to steal a march heading into the home straight and his mount wasn’t for catching.
“Once I wanted to go, I had plenty of horse,” Browne McMonagle said. “He’s a level above those and he won well. He’s been bumping into really good horses in maidens and he deserves this.”
Rio Largo (8/1) finished with a flourish to take the Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap for Meath trainer Luke Comer, with Declan McDonogh’s mount coming home best to score by a length and a half.
The Jessica Harrington-trained Youcrackmeup (16/1) was a surprise winner of the Eventus Handicap under Shane Foley, while Willie Mullins displayed his usual bumper dominance to take the finale via My Great Mate (9/2), owned/bred by his wife Jackie and ridden by their son Patrick.
